Thermostatic valve



June 7, 1955 H. B. DRAPEAU Tl'lERMOSTATIC VALVE Filed Oct. 14. 1955 R niTnEnMosTATic VALVE Harold B. Drapeau, Oak Fark, Iil., assignor to TheDole Valve Company, Chicago, Iil., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationOctober 14, 1953, Serial No. 386,019

6 Claims. (Cl. 236-3 4) This invention relates to improvements in thethermostatically operated valves particularly adapted for use in thecooling systems of internal combustion engines.

Heretofore, thermostatically operated valves for controlling thetemperature of the cooling systems of internal combustion engines havebeen of the butterfly type and have been operated by power types ofthermostatic elements in which a piston is extended from a guidecylinder, upon the expansion of a thermal responsive pellet or masscontained within a casing in communication with .the guide cylinder.With such thermostatic elements the pellet is contained within thecasing by an elastic membrane and plug, which is extensibly movablealong the cylinder upon expansion of the thermal responsive medium.

One disadvantage in such elements has been that upon excessivetemperature conditions, the elastic membrane is extended beyond itselastic limit and frequently ruptures as it is excessively extendedalong the guide cylinder. The thermostatic element is then useless. Thereturn spring may then close the valve even though the over temperatureconditions persist.

Butterfly types of thermostatic valves operated by power types ofthermostatic elements have been designed to lock in an open positionupon extensive temperature conditions in order to overcome thisdisadvantage as in my prior application, Serial No. 181,251 filed-August 24, 1950, now Patent No. 2,656,113. With such valves, however,when the excessive temperature conditions are relieved, the pistonfrequently retractibly moves within its cylinder, with the result thatthe thermostat will not open the valve when required.

A principal object of my present invention is to over come thesedifficulties by providing a thermostatically operated valve, so arrangedas to positively lock the valve in a full open position upon excessivetemperature cnditions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel and improved formof butterfly valve for the cooling system of an automotive vehicle inwhich the valve is biased in a closed position by a spring, and a pistonextensible from a cylinder is provided to operate the butterfly valveupon predetermined temperature conditions, and in which a lookout recessis provided in the bore of the cylinder for accommodating tilting of thepiston by the return spring and positively engaging the piston whentilted by its return spring and locking the piston from being retractedwithin the cylinder, and preventing the piston from being ejected fromthe cylinder.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel and improvedform, of thermostatic unit having a casing for a thermal-responsivemedium, a guide cylinder extending from the casing and having a pistonmovable therealong, in which the bore of the cylinder has a running fitwith the piston at its extreme end and is prof vided with an undercutgroove inwardly of its end, maintaining the proper alignment of thepiston when in a fully extended position, and retaining the piston frombeing ejected from the cylinder by the thermal-responsive medium upon anexcessive temperature condition, and locking the piston from retractiblemovement within the cylinder.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from time to time asthe following specification proceeds and with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a butterfly valve constructed inaccordance with my invention showing the valve in a closed position;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along lineII-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view somewhat similar to Figure 2,but showing the valve in a full flow position; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view somewhat similar to Figure 2, but showingthe valve in a lookout position upon excessive temperature conditions.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated. in the drawings, anannular valve casing 10 is shown. This valve casing may be suitablyattached in any desired manner to a hose connection or water jacketstructure of an internal combustion engine, through which cooling fluidis flowing, to control the temperature and flow of cooling fluid bymeans of a thermostatically operated butterfly valve, indicatedgenerally by reference character 11. The butterfly valve 11 is hereinshown as being a shaftless butterfly valve, although it need not be ashaftless valve and may be of various other types of valves desired.

The casing 10 may be made from a metallic stamping, stamped from a sheetor plate of brass or other suitable material, and is herein shown ashaving a flat upper annular surface 12, the inner margin of which formsa port opening 13. The casing 10 also has a downwardly spaced flange 15,which may abut a shouldered portion (not shown) of the water jacket orhose connection, to secure the valve in place in the cooling system.

The valve opening 13 is generally circular in form, divided into twohalves, at the junction of which are spaced inwardly extending nibs 15,15. The spaces between said nibs form diametrically opposed slotsdisposed in a straight line which defines generally the pivotal area ofthe valve 11.

The valve 11 may be made from a metallic stamping and may be like thatshown and described in the Brown patent, No. 2,493,336, dated January10, 1950, and comprises two ofl-set fiat Wing portions 17 and 19extending in opposite directions from the center of the valve inparallel relation with respect to each other. These wing portions areconnected together by an intermediate section 20 extending generally atright angles to the wing portions 17 and 19. The height of theintermediate right angled section is determined by the thickness of theannular portion of the casing defining the valve opening, and is suchthat one wing portion 17 is disposed on the top side of the valveopening 11 and the other wing portion is disposed on the bottom side ofthe valve opening when the valve is closed, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.In addition, the over all area of the valve 11 is such that When thevalve is in a closed position, as shown in Figure 1, it will extendbeyond the edge of the valve opening and half of the top edge of theannular portion 12 defining the valve opening 13, and half the bottomedge thereof,

to close off the flow of fluid through said opening. Two ears 23, 23 areherein shown as extending oppositely from the wing portions 19 of thevalve 11 adjacent the right angled portion 20. These ears extendlaterally beyond the margins of the valve opening 13 and are hereinshown as abutting the bottom of the annular portion 12 defining thevalve opening. The marginal edges of said ears come into engagement withthe under surface 3 of annular portion 12 upon complete opening of thevalve, to retain said valve in position.

The valve casing also includes a generally U-shaped seating member orcage 25, suitably connected to the annular surface 12 of said valvecasing as by riveting and extending therefrom in an upstream direction.The cage is shown as having a transverse bridge 26, which may be formedintegrally therewith and which is provided with a central aperture 27,to receive a casing 29 of a thermostatic element 30, connected with thevalve ill for operating the same, as will hereinafter more clearlyappear as this specification proceeds.

The transverse bridge 26 is upset adjacent the margins of the opening oraperture 27 at diametrically opposed points, to form rounded bearingnibs 31, 31 upon which roclringly rests an enlarged ring 32, encirclingthe casing 29 of the thermostatic element 3%, and suitably securedthereto. The bridge 25 also forms a seat for a coil spring 33, hereinshown as being a conical spirally coiled spring of a relatively fewconvolutions, converging in diameter from the lower to the upper endthereof. The spring 33 has an integral upper hook-like portion 34, shownas extending through an outwardly opening slot 35 formed in an ear 36depending from and secured to the bottom of the wing portion 17 of thevalve 11 as by a rivet The '2.

slot 35 is offset laterally from the pivot of the valve E1, to positionthe center of force of the spring 33 on the butterfly valve element in adirection to maintain the valve element closed except when opened by thetemperatureresponsive element 3%. The spring 33 may be held in positionin its seat on the bridge 26, to bias the valve to closed position inany desired manner.

The thermostatic element may be a well known form of power type ofthermostatic clement, commonly known as a Vernet element and utilizing atemperature v responsive body or pellet in the form of a preformed bodycontained within the casing 32 and acting against a flexible diaphragmand plug 39, to extend a piston 40 from a guide cylinder 41, with arelatively high degree of pressure, upon predetermined rises intemperature of the cooling water.

The present form of power-type thermostatic element may be like thatdisclosed in the Vernet Patents Nos. 2,259,846 dated October 21, i941,and 2,368,181 dated January 30, i949, so only need herein be describedin sutficient detail to point out the novel features of my invention.which will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specificationproceeds.

The piston is herein shown as having a reduced diameter upper endportion, recessed adjacent its upper end as indicated by numeral 42, topivotally connect a yoke 43 thereto. The yoke 43 is shown as extendingalong opposite sides of the car 35 and may be snapped or sprung on therecessed or grooved portion 42 of the piston 4i The yoke 43 is shown asbeing pivotally connected to the ear 36 as by a pivot pin 4 offset fromthe pivot of the valve 11 in the samerdirection as the point ofconnection of the spring 33 thereto.

Referring now in particular to the novel form of loclo out of myinvention, enabling the piston to have full engagement with the bore ofthe cylinder 41 at full flow temperatures of the cooling water andretaining the piston in the cylinder 41 upon excess temperatureconditions, and locking the piston in an extended position andpositively preventing closing of the valve 11 when opened upon excessivetemperature conditions and then cooled, the guide cylinder 41 is shownas being provided in its bore with an undercut lock-out notch or groove43. The undercut notch or groove 45 is shown as being inclined from theouter end of the guide cylinder 41 which has sliding fit with the piston45 inwardly along the wall of said cylinder at the general angle thepiston 40 will assume when in a jackknifed lock-out position as shown inFigure 4. The undercut notch 45 is also provided with an inner abutmentsurface 4-6 at the inner end of said notch,

abutted by the inner end of the piston 40 and positively holding saidpiston from being retractably moved within its cylinder when in thelock-out position shown in Figure 3. The abutment surface 46 is spacedfrom the end of the guide cylinder 41, a distance substantially lessthan the diameter of the piston 43, to afford full engagement with saidpiston for a distance greater than its diameter when the valve is in thefull flow position shown in Figure 3, and thus maintain the piston inalignment with its cylinder when the valve is in a full flow position.

it should here be noted with reference to Figures 2 and 3 that duringnormal operation of the valve 11 and movement thereof from a closed to afull flow position, that the application of force of the spring 33 tothe valve element 1.1 is to one side of the center line of the pistonill. The spring 33 will thus retain said piston in alignment with thebore of the guide cylinder 41 during normal extension of said pistonalong said cylinder when said piston is opening the valve to its fullopen position shown in Figure 3.

When, however, the temperature of the cooling fluid becomes excessive,and the piston 49 is extended beyond its full open or flow position, thepoint of con nection of the spring 33 to the valve 11 moves past thecenter line of the piston all to the position shown in Figure 4 andplaces a sidewise thrust on said piston, moving said piston angularlyinto engagement with the inclined wall of the undercut notch 45 into thejackknited position shown in Figure 4. The spring force on the butterflyvalve, then being past a dead-center position with respect to the centerline of the guide cylinder 41 and on the opposite side of the center ofsaid guide cylinder from its position when the valve is in a full flowposition, the spring 35 will maintain the inner end of the piston ill inthis inclined or jackknife position with respect to the guide cylinder41 in engagement with the inclined face and abutment face 46 of theundercut notch 35. The angular spring force on the piston, biasing thepiston in engagement with the vertical wall of the notch 45, against theforce of extension of the plug 39, will positively lock the piston dofrom being ejected from the guide cylinder 41 and will positivelylock-out the valve in the open position shown in Figure 4.

It may be seen from the foregoing that the lock-out of my inventionavoids the difficulties that have been encountered when the piston iseiected from the end of the guide cylinder upon excessive temperatureconditions, leaving the valve ill free to pivot and be closed by thedifferential in pressure on opposite faces thereof, and positively locksthe piston from being ejected from its guide cylinder and alsopositively locks the valve from closing after being opened by excessivetemperature conditions.

The lock-out arrangement of my invention also affords a guide for thepiston to the end of the bore of the guide cylinder 41, and thusstabilizes the alignment between the thermostatic element and thebutterfly valve, assuring proper alignment of the piston to within theguide cylinder and with respect to the butterfly valve in all positionsof extension thereof to the full flow position as shown in Figure 3.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a thermostatic valve particularly adapted for cooling systems forautomotive vehicles, an annular valve casing having a port opening, abutterfly valve element pivotally supported on said casing to open andclose said port opening, said casing having a seating portion spacedfrom said port opening, an extensible temperature-responsive elementrockingly supported in said seating portion and including a casing for athermal-responsive medium, a cylinder extending from said casing, apiston extensible from said cylinder and having pivotal connection withsaid valve, for pivoting the same into an open position, a spring seatedon said seating portion and connected with said valve at a point offsetfrom the center thereof, and returning said piston within said cylinderupon normal operation of said valve, and said cylinder having a borerecessed inwardly of the outer end thereof, to accommodate tiltingmovement of said piston with respect to said cylinder by the forceexerted thereon by said spring upon excessive extension of said pistonupon excessive temperature conditions, and preventing ejection of saidpiston from said cylinder and positively locking said valve in an openposition.

2. In a thermostatic valve of a type having a butterfly valve pivotallysupported on a housing having a port opening to be opened and closed bysaid valve, said casing having a seating portion spaced from said portopening, a thermostatic control device having a casing rockable on saidseating portion and having a cylinder extending therefrom, a pistonextensible from said cylinder and having pivotal connection with saidvalve to pivot the same to an open position upon extension of saidpiston from said cylinder, a spring connected with said valve at a pointspaced laterally from the point of connection of said piston thereto forreturning said piston within said cylinder and biasing said valve into aclosed position, and said cylinder having a bore having a sliding fitwith said piston for the entire length of normal extension thereof, andslidably engaging said piston at the end of said bore when said valve isin a full flow position, said cylinder also having an undercut groovetherein engageable by said piston and locking said piston from returnwithin said cylinder upon excessive temperature conditions by the springforce acting on said piston, upon excessive extension thereof from saidcylinder.

3. In a thermostatic valve particularly adapted for cooling systems forautomotive vehicles, an annular valve casing having a port opening, abutterfly valve element pivotally supported on said casing to open andclose said port opening, said casing having a seating portion spacedfrom said opening on the upstream side thereof, an extensibletemperatLire-responsive element rockingly supported in said seatingportion and including a casing rockingly mounted on said seatingportion, a cylinder extending therefrom, a piston extensible from saidcylinder, a pivotal connection between said piston and said butterflyvalve offset from the pivot of said valve, a spring seated on saidseating portion and having operative connection with said valve at apoint offset laterally from the pivotal axis of said valve on the sameside of the axis thereof as the pivotal connection between said pistonand valve, and spaced further outwardly from said pivotal connection,said spring exerting a force on said piston in axial alignment with thelongitudinal axis thereof during normal operation of said thermostaticelement and exerting a lateral tilting force on said piston uponover-travel thereof along said cylinder upon over-temperatureconditions, and said cylinder having a bore engaging said piston for alength equal substantially to the diameter of said piston during normalextension thereof, and having an annular undercut groove thereinaccormnodating lateral movement of said piston with respect to saidcylinder and locking said piston from being expelled from said cylinderand from retractable movement with respect to said cylinder byengagement with said annular undercut groove by the force of saidspring, to positively lock the valve in an open position.

4. In a thermostatic valve particularly adapted for cooling systems forinternal combustion engines, an annular valve casing having a portopening, a butterfly valve element pivotaily supported on said casing toopen and close said port opening, said casing having a seating portionspaced from said opening on the upstream side thereof, an extensibletemperatitre-responsive element rockingly supported in said seatingportion and including a casing rockingly mounted on said seatingportion, a cylinder extending therefrom, a piston extensible from saidcylinder, a pivotal connection betweeen said piston and said butterflyvalve ofifset from the pivot of said valve, a spring seated on saidseating portion and having operative connection with said valve at apoint offset laterally from the pivotal axis of said valve on the sameside of the axis thereof as the pivotal connection between said pistonand valve, and spaced further outwardly from said pivotal connection,said spring exerting a force on said piston in axial alignment with thelongitudinal axis thereof during normal operation of said thermostaticelement and exerting a lateral tilting force on said piston uponover-travel thereof along said cylinder upon over-temperatureconditions, and said cylinder having a bore slidably engaging saidpiston at the outer end thereof and having an annular undercut groovetherein extending from a position adjacent the outer end thereofangularly inwardly within the wall of said cylinder and terminating inan inner abutment face engaging the inner end of said piston when tiltedby said spring, said angular wall accommodating tilting movement of saidpiston by said spring upon over-extension of said piston, due to excesstemperature conditions, and positively locking said piston fromexpulsion from said cylinder, and said inner abutment face locking saidpiston from return movement within said cylinder by the reaction of saidspring against said piston.

5. In a power-type of thermostatic element having a casing containing athermal responsive medium, a cylinder extending from said casing, apiston movable along said cylinder upon expansion of said thermalresponsive medium, and having pivotal connection with a member to beangularly driven, and an undercut groove in said cylinder adjacent theouter end thereof, accommodating tilting movement of said piston withrespect to said cylinder upon over-extension or" said piston from saidcylinder and locking said piston from ejection from said cylinder andpreventing return of said piston Within said cylinder by the reaction ofthe angular drive force against said piston upon excessive extension ofsaid piston from said cylinder.

6. In a power-type of thermostatic element, a casing containing athermal responsive medium, a guide cylinder extending from said casing,a piston guided for movement along said cylinder and having running fitthere with for the entire length of normal travel of said piston alongsaid cylinder and having pivotal connection with a member to beangularly driven, and said cylinder having an annular notch formedtherein terminating inwardly from the outer end of said cylinder atdistance less than the diameter of said piston and having an inclinedwall accommodating tilting movement of said piston with respect to saidcylinder by the reaction of the angular driving force against saidpiston upon over extension thereof, and locking said piston fromejection from said cylinder and preventing return movement of saidpiston within said cylinder.

Wangenheim Aug. 29, 1944 Vellinga Sept. 25, 1951

